Providing information to vehicles such as automobiles traveling on highways and other roads is typically accomplished using roadside signs, radio traffic reports and the like. Conventional roadside signs convey static information. Other roadside signs display dynamic information such as near real time reporting of traffic delays. Unfortunately, such signs often do not relay sufficient information to vehicles to enable drivers to make informed decisions regarding alternate routes. Moreover, there is a delay between the occurrence of a road hazard (e.g., traffic delay, construction, weather) and the update of the sign or traffic report.
Safety is another area that is restricted by the inability to rapidly convey vehicle information to a driver. For example, if traffic has abruptly stopped, often the only warning to following vehicles is the sudden illumination of brake lights on the vehicles immediately in front. Thus drivers generally are not aware of the traffic hazard when the first affected vehicles apply their brakes.
Still another area limited by information transfer rates is general information such as advertisements for local businesses (e.g., restaurants and lodging). Many such businesses may not advertise along the roadway or local zoning may prohibit their display of advertisement signs. For businesses that do utilize roadside advertisements, the information is generally limited. Advertisements often do not provide important information to passengers such as prices, hours of operation and product availability (e.g., hotel vacancy status). Although such information is often available through the Internet, passengers typically do not have access to these Internet resources through their vehicles.
Trains, aircraft and other vehicles are similarly limited in their ability to receive information. The desired information can relate to events affecting schedule and safety. Moreover, passengers on these vehicles may desire access to other types of information such as airline and railway schedules, weather and business information for passenger destinations, and the like.
What is needed is a communications system capable of high bandwidth data communications between vehicles or between a vehicle and a host to permit the exchange of static and dynamic information. The present invention satisfies this need and provides additional advantages.